Vegan Margherita Pizza

Margherita Pizza quickly became my favorite type of pizza the first time I had it. That being so, I knew it was one of the first things I needed to recreate when I went vegan. Something about the simplicity of the Tomato, Basil, Mozzarella, Olive Oil, and Balsamic Glaze, it just creates pure mouthwatering perfection. Not overly complicated. Just simple ingredients, allowed to come together, compliment each other, and shine in their best light.

First you’ll want to get your dough prepped. Begin by whisking the flour and salt together in a mixing bowl.

Pour warm water into medium sized bowl. Stir the Agave (or sugar) into the warm water until dissolved. Add the yeast and whisk in with a fork. Leave sit about 10 minutes, or until very frothy (it should look like the foam on top a cappuccino).

Add olive oil to your water mixture. Pour this into the mixing bowl with your flour & salt.

Mix until your dough comes together (it should start to look less sticky and release from the edges of the bowl).

Pour your dough onto a flat surface and knead a few times. If it’s very sticky, add a little more flour, one tablespoon at a time, until it feels smooth and elastic.

Spray your mixing bowl with non-stick cooking spray and add dough back to the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for an hour, or until dough has doubled in size. (I use a dry erease marker to mark the bowl where the dough started so it is easier to tell how far the dough has risen.)

(For The Pizza)

Preheat oven to 550℉

Once your dough is ready to go, dump it out of the bowl, onto a floured surface, and roll out into a large, flat disk. (About 10-12 inches in diameter and 1/3-1/2 inch thick) (You can also split this dough in half and make two medium sized pizzas instead of one large pizza.)

Take a fork and poke holes all over the disk of dough, up to about an inch away from the edge (this step will help the dough cook evenly). Brush entire disk of dough, lightly, with olive oil.

Spread your desired, even layer of pizza sauce onto dough. On top of that, sprinkle your mozzarella cheese. (You can also add some vegan parmesan here, if desired) Add your sliced tomatoes to the top.

Bake 10-12 minutes, or until crust is golden brown, cheese is melty, and toppings are heated through.

Garnish pizza with chiffonade of basil, and a nice drizzle of balsamic glaze.